Caitlin Moran's film about Wolverhampton upbringing to close Glasgow Film Festival
The festival will run from February 26 until March 8.
The UK premiere of writer Caitlin Moran’s film about her upbringing in Wolverhampton is to close the Glasgow Film Festival.
The big screen adaptation of Moran’s semi-autobiographical best-seller How To Build A Girl will close the festival on March 8, International Women’s Day.
Beanie Feldstein stars as Johanna Morrigan, a 16-year-old extrovert from the outskirts of Wolverhampton who yearns to make a name for herself and answers an advert seeking “hip young gunslinger” journalists for a cool London music magazine.
Much of the film, which premiered in Toronto in September, was shot across the city, including on the Warstones estate and in the city centre near the Civic Centre and railway station.
Feldstein made headlines in November when it was revealed she had been working in a Wolverhampton city centre shop in a bid to help perfect her accent.
Much of the film, which premiered in Toronto in September, was shot across the city, including on the Warstones estate and in the city centre near the Civic Centre and railway station.
Directed by Coky Giedroyc, the film's stars include Chris O’Dowd, Alfie Allen and Dame Emma Thompson while there are cameos from the likes of Lily Allen, Jameela Jamil, Alexei Sayle, Michael Sheen, Sue Perkins and Gemma Arterton.
Moran said of taking her Film 4-backed movie to the festival: “It is the greatest thrill of my life to finally unleash Beanie Feldstein as the noble, swashbuckling Sex Pirate Johanna Morrigan at the Glasgow Film Festival – and to have the honour of closing this joyous cinematic explosion means the whole audience can come straight to the nearest pub with me, and celebrate the hotness of Alfie Allen as John Kite.
“Unless Glasgow’s gone off that kind of thing since last time I was there. Which I doubt.”
Allison Gardner, co-director of Glasgow Film Festival, said: “This year we close the festival on International Women’s Day and we are delighted to host the UK Premiere of How To Build A Girl, based on Caitlin Moran’s cherished, semi-autobiographical bestseller.
“The film is a hilarious and moving tale of Wolverhampton teenager, Johanna, brilliantly played by Beanie Feldstein, making her way in the world. Along the way she takes life lessons from her heroes, Sigmund Freud, Sylvia Plath, Julie Andrews and David Bowie, to try to navigate the unfairness of the world. I loved every minute of it.”
The 16th annual festival will open on February 26 with the UK premiere of Proxima, the latest drama from award-winning Alice Winocour, director of Augustine and Disorder.
Casino Royale star Eva Green plays a woman torn between professional ambition and the demands of motherhood as she trains for a one-year mission aboard the International Space Station alongside colleagues including American Nasa veteran Mike (Matt Dillon).
The full programme for Glasgow Film Festival 2020 will be announced on January 29.
Allan Hunter, co-director of the festival, said: “We are delighted to be opening and closing the 2020 Glasgow Film Festival with work from hugely talented female directors.
“What better way to start that celebration than opening the Festival with the UK premiere of Proxima, the latest film from writer/director Alice Winocour.
“Produced by Isabelle Madelaine and Emilie Tisne, it features a career-best performance from Eva Green as an astronaut undertaking the gruelling preparations for a year-long mission aboard the International Space Station.
“The growing tensions between her professional ambitions and personal responsibilities will strike an emotional chord with every parent.”
Tickets for the opening and closing galas go on sale at 12 noon on January 13 from glasgowfilm.org/festival and GFT Box Office.
The film is planned to hit cinema screens later this year.
